The Senzo Meyiwa murder trial has taken yet another dramatic turn, with shocking new revelations emerging both inside the courtroom and in Parliament. The case, now in its third year, continues to grip the nation as it delves into the 2014 killing of the beloved Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates captain at the home of singer Kelly Khumalo in Vosloorus.
On Wednesday, proceedings in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria saw the State wrap up its cross-examination of Muzi Sibiya, one of the five men accused of carrying out the murder. Sibiya faced intense questioning over photographic evidence showing the alleged gunman, Mthobisi Mncube, with members of his own family on the day of the shooting. The images appear to contradict Sibiya’s repeated claims that he had never met Mncube prior to their first court appearance five years ago.
Under questioning, Sibiya further conceded that the alleged coordinator of the hit is, in fact, his uncle — an admission that sparked murmurs in court and raised fresh questions about the familial and criminal connections behind Meyiwa’s killing.
The defense then called a surprise witness — Absalom Zungu, the father of state witness Constable Skhumbuzo Zungu. Absalom Zungu, 67, stunned the courtroom when he denied ever making a statement in 2019 that implicated any of the accused, including Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, and Mthobisi Mncube. He alleged that the statement had been fabricated by the lead investigator, Brigadier Bongani Gininda, and his own son.
“I know nothing about the murder,” Zungu testified. “They lied under oath, and now I fear for my life because one of the accused is my neighbor in Ulundi.”
His explosive claims prompted heated objections from the prosecution, with the State arguing that Zungu’s credibility and motives should be questioned, given his proximity to the accused and his strained relationship with his son, who is a police officer.
While courtroom tensions ran high, the trial also drew attention from Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee probing alleged criminal infiltration of South Africa’s justice system. Appearing before the committee, National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shamila Batohi addressed widespread frustration over the slow pace of the case.
Batohi told MPs that internal divisions and “competing investigative teams” within the South African Police Service (SAPS) had severely undermined progress in the Meyiwa investigation.
“This case could have been resolved sooner if the investigative units were working together rather than against each other,” Batohi said. “Unfortunately, internal power struggles within the police delayed the gathering and verification of critical evidence.”
Her comments came in response to committee member David Skosana, who accused the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) of mismanaging the case and allowing it to drag on for more than a decade.
The Meyiwa case has been marred by controversy, including claims of political interference, witness intimidation, and allegations that the wrong men are on trial. The defense continues to maintain that the five accused were framed to protect powerful individuals allegedly connected to the murder.
As the trial nears another adjournment, public patience is wearing thin. Many South Africans have expressed growing scepticism about whether the truth behind Meyiwa’s killing — which sparked national outrage and grief in 2014 — will ever be uncovered.
Legal analysts say that the conflicting testimonies and claims of police corruption now risk further complicating the already fragile case.
For now, the court has adjourned until later this week, with the defense expected to continue its cross-examination of key witnesses. But with each session, the case appears to expose not only the deep fractures within law enforcement but also the systemic challenges facing South Africa’s justice system.